Hogwarts: The Story You Don't Know
by LiaAJ
Summary: Everyone knows the story of Harry Potter, but not many other students are heard of. What exactly goes on on the other side of hogwarts?You are about to enter the world of the overlooked, yet interesting students. Sit back and let the drama unfold.OoTP.R
1. Halloween

**Elena**

By LiaAJ

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. Skye Black is the property of NarnianAslan. I am just borrowing her. Any other characters not mentioned in the books are of my creation.

A/N: This is the tale of Elena Nirvana Dillingham. Elena is a 15-year-old Gryffindor student at Hogwarts. Her story takes place during the fifth book. There is an added ball at the end of the year that is not in the fifth book.

"Elena! Elena, over here!" Hermione shouted to me over the noise of the Halloween feast. I saw her waving me over from twenty feet away. I swiftly made my way over to the empty seat next to her, looking through the crowd and hoping to see a few select faces.

The first person I was looking for was Craig Braxton. Craig was a Slytherin, but he wasn't anything like the others. It sounds like a cliché, but I'm serious. I actually found something good in the "enemy". I had met Craig on the train at the beginning of that year and remembered it clearly.

I had been sitting in a compartment in the back of the train, alone and tired after a night of anticipation. I was one of those people who just loved school, despite not being very good at the actual learning part. I was sitting alone, looking out the window, when Craig entered the compartment. He walked right in smoothly, sitting next to me. I was pretty confused, really. I lifted up the Gryffindor badge on my robe for him to see. Maybe he didn't know. He just looked at me and nodded.

"Have I met you before?" He asked, unfazed by the fact that I was a Gryffindor.

"No, I don't believe so," I replied, trying to figure out exactly what was going on.

"I thought not," He reached out his hand, "I'm Craig. Craig Braxton. And you are…?"

"Elena Dillingham," I shook his hand stiffly. Was he genuine, or was he just waiting to cause trouble?

"Dillingham…," He pondered, "Any relation to Acacia Dillingham?"

"Uh-huh," Acacia was my elder sister, "How do you know her?"

"She had a crush on Blaise last year. She always wanted me to give her information about him."

"That's Acacia, all right!" I laughed. My sister always got too carried away with guys, "She seems to have a new crush every month." We laughed for a few minutes until we saw Draco outside the compartment, surrounded by his goonies. He stopped and turned to our compartment, pointing to us and snickering as Pansy laughed beside him.

"You can go, if you want," I sighed. I had forever been a victim to social torture, and I wasn't going to make Craig sit through it with me.

"No, that's fine," He looked back at me with compassion. I had never seen anyone who looked like him before. He had unique mahogany colored hair that was grown out over his forehead, and his green eyes were lively, yet serious. I heard the door opening.

"Craig, Draco wishes to speak with you," Pansy said in a mock secretary-like tone. She glared at me and raised her eyebrows. I gave her a sarcastic look and mouthed _"what?"_ She shook her head at me and scowled.

"Now, Craig!" She nearly shouted with urgency. He hesitated and looked back at me, his eyes all big and sorry-like. I closed my eyes and nodded, gesturing that it was all right to go. I hadn't spoken to him since then, and had only seen him talking with his friends in the great hall and on the other side of the classroom.

The second person I was looking for was Vanessa Noble. She had been one of my best friends since my first year. Vanessa was a Hufflepuff, and I rarely saw her anymore. She had sandy blonde hair, bangs, and amber colored eyes, and was half of the reason for my bad reputation with many students at Hogwarts. Vanessa was muggle-born, but fit in very well with other students as far as magic went. The prejudice purebloods hated me for being friends with her, as well as for being friends with Hermione. The one thing that bugged me is that I couldn't ever say that it didn't upset me to be called a blood traitor.

The third person who I was looking for was Draco Malfoy. Not for the reasons why I looked for Craig and Vanessa, but because I hated Draco. He had played with my mind too many times, destroyed me in every way possible. If there was one thing I would do in my life it would be to get back at him. Revenge is tricky business, though, and there had been flaws in my previous attempts. I'd figure it out this year, for sure.

I sat down next to Hermione and looked around the table. Harry and Ron were sitting on Hermione's other side, eating and laughing. Ron laughed so hard that pumpkin juice shot out of his nose. I let out a chuckle; he always did stuff like that. Hermione turned back to me.

"Elena, how many hats have you knitted for the elves? I have thirty-six," She announced. Shoot, I had totally forgotten about S.P.E.W. in the past few weeks.

"Uh, sure, I have about twenty," I lied. Well, I _would _have twenty by the next day. It didn't take that long to knit with magic. I tuned out of the noise and began to eat the bread on my plate. I was surprised when a note slammed down before me. I looked behind me in surprise to see Luna Lovegood grinning back at me as she walked back towards her table. I opened the note:

_Elena,_

_We get revenge on Draco __tonight. __Meet me on the staircase. Disguise yourself. We'll get Slytherin robes from the room of requirement later. Skye might come too. Seeya then? _

_-Luna_

I folded up the note and wondered what Luna had in mind. I looked toward her way, caught her glance. I held up the note and nodded. Tonight, I thought, we get back at Draco Malfoy once and for all.


	2. Disguises are only skin deep

**Elena: A Hogwarts Story**

**Chapter 2**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Harry Potter Books. Skye Black is the property of NarnianAslan. Any characters not in the books are of my creation.**

Luna, Skye, and I hid in the shadows of the dungeons, waiting for a Slytherin to walk by. We needed to get the password from some one. All three of us had cleverly disguised ourselves in Slytherin uniforms and had temporarily changed our facial features and hair. Skye was a metamorphagus, however, so she didn't need any enchantment or potion.

We had a perfect alibi: three sisters transferring from Bauxbatons. We felt as if we were the characters we were playing as we walked into the Slytherin common room. Our matching blonde ringlets would have fooled anyone, not to mention the French accents we were faking.

The Slytherin common room glowed with green. The chairs, rugs, lamps, and tapestries were all of a deep emerald green. The color wasn't far from my natural eye color. Draco, Blaise, Millicent, and Pansy were sitting in a circlet of arm chairs around a coffee table, while Craig studied alone at a desk along the left wall. We walked in unison, carefully matching each step.

"Who are _you_," Malfoy snarled at us as we entered. Well, _somebody_ isn't very kind to newcomers.

"The Davies sisters," we all responded in unison, just as we had rehearsed. Our hands were outstretched, waiting for him to shake them. He simply smirked and waved us off.

"Parentage?" He asked. Apparently, that is all that ol' Draco cares about.

"Pureblood," I responded, "Why do you ask?"

"Why _wouldn't _I ask?" That was a pure Draco moment.

"May we sit down?" Skye stated smoothly and not as a question. Good move, Slytherins barely ever ask if they can do something. They just do what they want, when they want most of the time.

The trip was a success. We had planned to stay in the common room until Malfoy went to sleep. From there, we would make sure to make his next day a living hell. We had a jar of flobberworms to put in his head and charms to put on his clothes, quills, and essays. We would start our revenge smaller, and later we were sure it would get more severe.

We spent a good hour talking about how "horrible" Gryffindors are while Malfoy was awake. He finally went off to bed at 11:00, leaving only us three and Craig.

"I'm going to go see if everyone is asleep," Luna whispered in my ear. I nodded and she went off to the girl's dormitory. Skye trailed off into Malfoy's room. Hopefully the plan would work as planned, and I could distract Craig while Skye started to put flobberworms in Malfoy's bed. I started to act out everything just as I had planned it.

"Whatcha doing?" I asked from an armchair against the wall, not far from Craig, pouring myself a cup of hot tea. That's another thing I loved about magic; there never had to be such a thing as cold tea. Of course, I loved hexing more than hot tea.

"Writing," He responded, very involved in the piece of parchment.

"Writing what, if you don't mind me asking?" I asked, half trying to sneek a peek at what he was writing.

"A note," He simply responded, suddenly writing down a sentence within a couple seconds. His hands flew across the paper, swiftly making a curly, spidery script.

"Oh," I said flatly. It would be hard to keep him occupied if he wouldn't spend two seconds without writing.

"Is there anything I should know about this school? Any specific people I should know about?" I asked, trying to make conversation. He put down his quill and parchment and turned to me.

"Well, I guess I should tell you, seeing as you and your sisters already have the wrong impression of this school. That's what listening to Malfoy'll do to you," he began, taking a deep breath, "I will sound bloody crazy when I say this, but the Gryffindors aren't nearly as bad as Malfoy says there are. In reality, Malfoy is the one to hate, not the Gryffindors. Just what he said about her last week made me want to…"He trailed off.

"Who?"

"That's not important," He quickly answered, picking up his quill and starting to write again. And, maybe, I thought, house didn't matter. What if it all came down to people in themselves? I had thought that all along, but I guessed people like Malfoy bring stereotypes to people. Yes, I was full of clichés that day. But, yet again, I am serious.

"All right," I reluctantly sighed. I wished we could talk freely, without me disguised as somebody else and without him thinking he is spilling his thoughts to a total stranger. I saw him fold up the note and seal it shut. He handed it to me and I sat, puzzled.

"Can you deliver that for me? I suppose you know some girls from other houses already. Just make sure that makes its way to Gryffindor, dormitory four by tomorrow."

I nodded and put the note in my robe pocket. Dormitory four was where I lived, and it wouldn't be hard to deliver a letter there.

"Sure. Are you going to bed?" I asked, as he got up from the desk.

"Yeah. You ought to, we have class tomorrow."

"Right. See you in the morning."

"All right. Off to bed with you, now." He instructed me. I definitely wouldn't be going to bed that night. I pretended to walk to the girl's dormitory, but instead walked straight to Malfoy's room, where Skye and Luna were already tampering with his book bag. We hid in the shadows and worked quickly, until we heard footsteps. We crouched down in the corner and tried not to be seen. Shoot, I thought, we should have borrowed Harry's invisibility cloak. I was surprised to see Craig walking into the door way, leaning against the wall, books in arm.

"Hey, Malfoy, you awake?" He asked.

"Not until _you _came here. What do you want, Braxton?" He sounded irritated and groggy.

"What would you lot do if I dated out-of-house,theoretically?"

"Which house, 'theoretically'?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

"A Gryffindor…theoretically, of course,"

"I might have to make your life a living hell and shun you forever, theoretically"

"Well, figure out how you're going to do that by tomorrow," He said, smoothly walking back out the doorway and off to his room.


	3. Love is One Big Mystery

**Elena**

**Chapter 3**

**Disclaimer: same as all the others; I do not own Skye Black or Harry Potter. Skye Black belongs to NarnianAslan.**

My heart beat fast as I ran alone in the dungeons. I could hear Professor Filch nearby, but couldn't tell exactly where he was. I tried to navigate the corridors as well as possible, since I couldn't risk being caught by Filch. Sure, house points taken away wouldn't be bad, I was disguised as a Slytherin after all, but beatings would hurt, disguised or not.

I had left Skye and Luna there and left early. They had wanted to hex Pansy Parkinson, so I decided to go back to my dormitory. Not that I didn't want to get revenge on Pansy, but I needed to get back and finish the hats for S.P.E.W. I hurried up the great staircase as quick as I could.

I entered the Gryffindor common room after stuffing my Slytherin robe into my shoulder bag. Nobody was awake, so I walked up the steps to my dormitory. The whole castle was had an icy cold feeling that night, as if dementors were around every corner. My footsteps echoed off the stone walls, ceiling, and floor. The air was still and had a slight eerie feeling to it. I was filled with a weary feeling that I had not had previously that night.

By the time I had reached my bed, I was tired out of my mind. I climbed into my bed, forgetting to knit the hats I needed for S.P.E.W. I left my shoulder bag beside my bed: uniform, note, and all.

An excited Skye shaking me awake got me out of bed the next morning. I was groggy and reluctant to wake up, but Skye wouldn't let me stay in bed.

"Elena, I'm serious, we need to get down stairs! You simply have to see Pansy's hair! It is hilarious…" She laughed while she talked as I pinned on my S.P.E.W. badge.

"Are you ready yet?" She asked for about the hundredth time that morning, and this time I nodded. Even though I was tired, I was looking toward to breakfast. I was starving and I was sure some pumpkin juice would help waken me up.

"So, what did you two do after I left?" I asked, making conversation as we walked through the painting into the brightly lit corridor.

"It was so fun! We totally ruined Pansy's hair! And we heard her talking in her sleep! Turns out she STILL likes Draco. Go figure," Skye chuckled as she spoke. Thinking of the previous night reminded me about the note. I pulled it from my bag while she was talking and examined the note. I started to read what was written on the outside a bit closer:

_Deliver to Gryffindor, Dormitory four. Leave on third bed to the right. _

Shoot, I thought, I didn't really pay attention to who slept at each bed. I guessed that I would have to deliver the note tomorrow, so I stuffed it back into my bag and continued to listen to Skye.

I left the great hall early at supper to get back to the dormitory with Skye and Luna. Belinda, Rae, and Melanie Davies would roam the Slytherin corridors once more.

I examined my face in my pocket mirror. Blonde curls cascaded around my head, framing my pale face and blue eyes and separating the existence of Elena Dillingham from that of Melanie Davies. We reached the entrance to the Slytherin common room and entered, feeling the cool breeze against our faces. Green and grey filled our eyes as well as the faces of the Slytherin students.

"Blaise, I'm telling you, I can get any girl I want in this school," Malfoy boasted, "Why don't we make a little wager? I bet that I can get a girl tonight, quicker than you ever could!"

"It's on, Malfoy! And if I win, you have to let me have Pansy!" Blaise negotiated.

"Pansy is not my girlfriend! But, sure, you can 'have her'" Malfoy replied. I listened to them as I found a seat beside Millicent. I found it quite barbaric that they thought of girls as property, and sat disgusted while listening to them talk on and on.

I tried to find something to do when I saw Craig in a large armchair in the corner. He looked different; whether it was disappointment or anger, I couldn't say. I pulled Blaise aside as he looked at me confused, at first. He flashed me a prepositional grin and raised an eyebrow once I had gotten him away from the group. I rolled my eyes.

"Blaise, I'm serious. I'm not taking part in your competition with Draco. I need to ask you something…seriously."

"Come on, Melanie just one little kiss and I-"

"NO. Can't you learn to just talk with a girl for a minute without trying to get snogged in a closet?"

"Well-"

"Don't answer that," I quickly cut him off once more, " I just need to know what's going on with Craig. He seems different."

"Oh," He said, disappointed, "Some girl he asked out hasn't gotten back to him yet or something," He turned around and sighed, sitting back down next to Draco. I looked over at Craig with compassion, then sprang alert, realizing that I had never delivered the note. I groaned and ran over to Craig, hoping that he hadn't been too hard on himself.

"Craig, are you all right?" I asked, sounding just as sorry as I felt.

"I'm fine," He responded weakly, obviously trying to keep it to himself.

"No, your not," I shook my head as I sat down on the arm of his chair. There was a long pause of silence.

"She's not going to go out with me,"

"Oh, Craig, the letter hasn't gotten to whoever it is yet," I said, a small hint of confusion in my voice as I uttered 'whoever it is'. I still had no clue.

"She won't say yes anyways,"

"Who is it?" I asked, "That is…if you don't mind me asking.

He looked around at the other students in the common room, "I'll tell you somewhere else…just come with me." He got up and gestured for me to follow. I trailed behind him, feeling the eyes of the other Slytherins hot on my back.

The empty kitchen was cold, yet offered comfort away from the other Slytherins. I could feel my skin start to tingle the way it always did when my disguising enchantment started to wear off. I still had a couple of minutes, I figured.

Craig turned around and leaned against the counter. I stood in front of him, leaning in the same fashion, trying to get him to look me in the eye.

"Well, here's how it goes," He began, "I met this girl in the beginning of the year. It was on the train, she was in an empty compartment. We were talking…" He continued as I realized that he was talking about me. I felt dizzy, I didn't know if it was the enchantment or the fact that Craig felt for me out of every girl at school.

"She was great, I mean, she's unlike any of the Slytherin girls. No offense, but most are…."

"Incredibly shallow and self-centered?" I finished for him.

"Exactly," He weakly smiled, "I guess it's the fact that…well its hard to explain…"

"You see everything you could ever want in a person…and you get that tingly feeling, that part of you that tells you that you can't live without them, despite the fact that you barely see them at all?"

"Yeah," He sighed, looking out into nowhere. My whole body tingled, both from the enchantment and being with Craig, and I looked straight into his eyes, catching his gaze. And with that, I took action, slowly pushing myself upwards until our faces were exactly aligned. I closed my eyes and kissed Craig Braxton, the way I had always wanted to, feeling my features slowly returning to my original looks. Maybe I hadn't imagined my first kiss would be in a dark kitchen, but it was in a way the same way I always had thought it would be. Just like cinnamon, sweet and spicy at the same time.

He pulled away, thinking it was Melanie who kissed him, and looked at me in surprise when he saw that it was me, Elena, where Melanie had once stood. And then he kissed me back.

And while we walked out of the kitchen hand in hand, I whispered in his ear:

"Elena says yes,"

We both smiled.


	4. Don't Matter

**Elena**

**Chapter 4**

**Disclaimer: same as all the others; I do not own Skye Black or Harry Potter. Skye Black, Harper Peterson, and Claire Brookes belong to NarnianAslan.**

"Come on, Elena, tell us already!" Harper pleaded, whispering to me from over a stack of books. The library was bright and peaceful, but it wouldn't be for me until Claire, Harper, and Luna stopped trying to get me to tell them about the previous night.

"Come on, we know you're just dying to tell us all about your little one-on-one session with Craig!" Claire half-taunted, giggling.

"Where did you two go anyways?" Luna asked, giggling the same way that Claire was.

"Not where _you're_ thinking," I laughed, backing up in my chair and heading towards a bookshelf. Harper followed.

"Come on, please tell us! We're dying to know!" Harper exaggerated every word while she pleaded with me.

"Harper, for the last time, I do _not _kiss and tell!" I laughed a bit. It was so funny when they pleaded for secrets!

"Ah, so you _did _kiss him!" Harper exclaimed excitedly, forgetting that we were in the library. Professor McGonagall shot her a look and shook her head from behind her large stack of encyclopedias.

"Yes," I said, now with urgency, "And I would rather like it if you wouldn't tell."

"I, for one, get why Elena wants to keep it a secret," Ron piped in from behind us, "Elena probably just had too much fire whiskey and wasn't thinking" Ron raised an eyebrow, smirking. Was he really any different from Malfoy?

"Ron!" I snapped back, "I was perfectly aware of what I was doing! I am not a drunk or anything, despite what you would like to believe."

"I just thought," he glared, "that you would be ashamed to kiss Craig. I mean, I would be,"

"So you've actually thought about kissing Craig, Ron?" Claire raised her eyebrows and Harper began to giggle. Ron scowled.

"Ron, I'd think you wouldn't be _that _judgmental," I began, glancing at Claire and Harper, "I just wanted to clarify to the 'gossip queens of howarts' that I would like for this to be a peaceful relationship. Craig and I want to be ready before we tell anyone" Claire and Harper giggled.

"We won't tell, I promise," Claire assured me.

"Elena…" Ron shook his head, arms crossed, and snarled at me, "You'd think somebody like you would have enough common sense to-"

"Ron!" I shouted, "I have a fine amount of common sense! Maybe it's you who is acting insane here! This is none of your business anyways! I know exactly what I'm doing, and if I choose to be with Craig, I have every right too!" _bad move, _I thought. The whole library, including professor McGonagall, was staring at me. I scowled, picked up my book bag, and stormed out of the room.

"What's her problem!" I could hear Ron angrily exclaiming behind me.

"You're being a bloody git, that's the problem!" Harper scowled. I could hear her running out of the library after me as the door closed.

By supper that evening, everyone had heard the news. Craig and I had received a plethora of smiles, dirty looks, and blank stares while we walked to the great hall from potions class. We waved good-bye, smiled weakly, and drifted toward our separate tables. I felt a hundred eyes burning a hole in my back, yet I tried to keep my composure as I neared my usual seat.

As soon as I sat down in between Harry and Skye, I could feel Ron glaring. I looked up and rolled my eyes at him. Disgusted, he jumped out of his seat and walked over to wear Seamus and his friends were sitting. What a bloody, arrogant, intolerant git.

"What's up with him?" Harry asked, obviously confused.

"Ron's decided to make a complete ass of himself today," Harper informed Harry, while glaring at Ron. Harry shrugged and turned his attention back to his mashed potatoes.

Taking a look around me, I could tell everything was going well in the lives of my friends. Claire was smiling at a boy at the Ravenclaw table. It made sense; she always had thought that Ravenclaw guys were the cutest as well as smart. That was Claire for you; she always had time to flirt with cute guys.

Skye and Fred were chatting along about quidditch, something about The Prides. Despite Fred and George being twins, you could tell they were a lot different. I always thought it would be somewhat annoying to have a twin. I can barely deal with being told I am exactly like my sister, I would hate to be confused with a twin. From what Skye told me, Fred was much different than George. She had always seemed to hang out with Fred more.

Harper was talking with Neville. They had so much in common. They were both shy, patient, and cared about others. Even though they may not have realized it themselves, I thought they would make the perfect couple. I was sure they would some day.

I wondered if people had ever thought that about Craig and me. I mean, we had stuff in common, right? Well, we both didn't care what other people thought. Or did we? I guess I didn't know for sure. Well, what was something else in common? Love, definitely. We both had dreams of our own. We both broke the unwritten laws of society.

It would be complicated to make things work, and I knew it. But it would be worth it, right? Of course it would, I tried to convince myself. The rumors would stop and everyone would just accept it. Wouldn't they? As much as I would like to believe it, I knew it wouldn't happen that easily.


	5. All Good ThingsCome To An End

**Hogwarts: The Story You Don't Know**

**Chapter 5**

**Disclaimer: Same as the others. I don't own HP. Claire, Skye, and Harper are NarnianAslan's.**

**A/N: Enter, Craig! This chapter includes Craig's point of view as well as Elena's. Enjoy!**

**Craig**

The cold night air nipped at my bare arms, sending a chill down my spine. I didn't shiver, though. In fact, I had never shivered in my whole life. It was one of those abnormal things about me, I guess. I guess I liked it, it made me look like I could tolerate anything. And that was one of those things I always wished were true.

The school grounds looked so much different at night; the place almost breathed peace. The pebbled pathway below our feet split through the dark green grass, crunching softly under our footsteps and the lake glistened a powerful midnight blue. The breeze picked up the cool, freshness of the lake, sending a cold cascade of wind into our hair. It was the closest to a perfect night I had ever seen. Or felt, or heard, for that matter.

Maybe it was having Elena there that made it so special, not the breeze or the lake. She perfectly fit together with the scene, like the last piece to a puzzle. The moonlight welcomed her, glowing on her face and lighting the perfect pattern of her eyes. She bit her lip and folded her arms across her chest for warmth, so I reached over and draped my long, black robe over her shoulders. We had made an agreement that she wouldn't wear my quidditch robe, her being a Gryffindor and all.

She looked up at me and smiled. Her perfect green eyes glistened like the stars, making me feel as if I were falling through the sky instead of standing right in front of her. Maybe there was such a thing as perfect, after all. Maybe even too perfect for me?

**Elena**

We settled under a tall, thick tree, not too far from the lake, yet far enough from the womping willow. The heavy wooden scent hung in the air, a companion to the nightly scenery. We turned to face each other from our seats on the floor, leaning against the tree, looking directly into each other's eyes. Slipping, falling, sinking, drowning, oblivious to anything else in the world.

It's strange, Hogwarts at night. It's so different. During the day, it's a living hell full of teachers, assignments, and social torture. But at night, when the teachers are sleeping and all our minds are away from school work (with the exception of Hermione), everything seems at ease. We have some time to just be people, for once. I like that.

"It's a perfect night, isn't it?" He pondered, gazing up at the moon.

"Yeah…I guess it is"

**Next Day At School**

"Elena, how could you?!" Vanessa ranted before me.

"Well, that's a warm greeting," I sarcastically rolled my eyes, arms crossed. Why is it that some friends always want to fight over something completely irrelevant to them?

"This is no time for sarcasm, Elena! Craig? Why, of all people, did you pick _Craig?" _

"Vanessa, this is none of your business. You're supposed to be my _friend. _You aren't here to make all my decisions for me!" I turned around with a scowl, beginning to walk up the staircase.

"Fine, Elena, but he'll break your heart, you'll see! Just like his father did to my mum!" She shouted, causing me to turn around.

"Vanessa, you are almost as bad as Malfoy! Bloodline does not determine one's personality! He's great, and I'd pick his love over your friendship everyday if you're going to be like this!" I yelled, causing students wandering nearby to flinch.

"Fine, then!" She shrieked, turning her heel and storming off in the opposite direction. And you know what I did? I walked off to my dorm, as if nothing had happened. I didn't need her anyway. People come, people go.

**Hogsmeade**

"So, where should we stop by first?" I questioned as Craig and I entered Hogsmeade.

"I don't know, did you have any place in mind?"

"No place in particular…" I trailed off. I really just wanted to have a nice afternoon somewhere somewhat romantic. Maybe somewhere on the outskirts, where we could just lean against trees and watch the light November snow. Maybe just a corner booth at The Three Broomsticks. Basically, anywhere where we could be away from most of the other students. Maybe even Madame Puddifoot's.

We strolled by The Three Broomsticks, discussing how easily the Tornados could beat the Cannons in quidditch, when a familiar taunting grin flashed before us.

"Ah, having a nice walk, are we?" Malfoy mischievously smiled, "I will have to interrupt this touching display, however. Elena, I need to talk to your boyfriend for a moment," He said, pulling Craig through the crowd and leaving me alone in the middle of the street.

**Craig**

"Let go, Malfoy!" I said through clenched teeth as Draco dragged me through the crowd and towards an alleyway.

"Oh, no need to be difficult, Craig," He taunted, "I just need to talk to you about your girlfriend,"

"What about her?"

"Oh, nothing, just that you two happen to be, I dunno, _ruining the structure that Hogwarts has been building up for years!" _

"What 'structure'?"

"Do I have to spell it out for you, Braxton? You and your little girlfriend have ruined Hogwarts society! You know what Millicent said yesterday? That she wants to go out with Seamus! And others will be doing the same thing, crossing houses! You're insane, starting this!"

"Am I really so insane, Malfoy? You know that time when you and Pansy were in a fight? Well she read me your journal and-"

"If you _ever-"_

"If you don't want me to spill, don't mess with Elena and I!"

"Ah, do I smell blackmail, Braxton?"

"Why, is the little ferret frightened?"

"Well, Craig, if you _ever _tell anyone what I wrote, I'll just have to put another plan into action. And believe me, I won't play nice,"

"Oh, I'm so scared!" I sarcastically remarked.

"I'm dead serious. Don't think I can't wreck your life."

"I'm not scared of you, Malfoy. I can take care of myself,"

"Well then, Braxton, I'll just have to wreck something you love," He looked out into the crowd, and nodded towards Elena, talking to her friends. He whipped around and strutted out of the alleyway.

I was genuinely surprised at the conversation. I never had seen the contents of Malfoy's journal, or known he really had one for that matter. I made mental note to get a hold of it later.

**Elena**

"So where's Craig again?" Skye asked.

"The ferret wanted to talk to him about something, I dunno"

"Doesn't he hate the ferret?"

"Yeah, Malfoy practically dragged him."

"Oh. New subject, who here thinks the Chudly Cannons are like 'Banchory Bangers, Generation two?' I mean, the Cannons were never good, are not good, and will never _be _good…" Skye continued on about quidditch while I scanned the crowd for Craig. I caught a glimpse of him coming toward me through the crowd.

"So what did Malfoy want?" I asked as he approached.

"Nothing much, just something about if I heard he kept a journal…something like that. I dunno, I wasn't really listening,"

"Oh," I could tell there was something else going on, but I didn't need to know. It was supposed to be the perfect day, right?

**7****th**** floor corridor**

"Are you okay, Elena?" Skye asked, a concerned look in her eyes.

"Of course I am, why wouldn't I be?"

"Well, I thought something might be going on…you haven't exactly been acting like yourself today. And Craig was acting a little strange in Hogsmeade the other day…did something happen between you two?"

"No. We're fine, really. It's just something about the way he's been acting lately. He's just not acting right,"

"Well, if you need somebody to find out what's going on, I could help. I mean, I could always go disguised and see what's up,"

"Thanks, Skye," I smiled. Maybe it would be easier that way. Skye walked towards the common room, and I walked out towards the school grounds. The midnight air always had calmed my thoughts.

I ended up leaning against the same tree Craig and I sat under two weeks ago. It breathed an empty feeling. The cool wind blowing through the trees that night was replaced by the heavy, overwhelming scent of the tree bark. Clouds covered the night sky, the moon shining from behind the milky swirl.

The night was still beautiful, but in a different way. Before it was proud, breathtaking, displaying everything with a fresh new light and wind. But now it was more modest, gentler. It held simplicity when the whole world lacked it.

**Craig**

"Pansy? Can I talk to you for a second?" I asked, and though I would never normally want to talk to her, she was the only one who knew Malfoy well enough to know what he really meant.

"Yeah, what?"

"Okay, well, you know, last weekend at Hogsmeade? Malfoy said something…you know, he said that he would go after Elena if-" Pansy cut me off.

"If you continued to corrupt Hogwarts order by going out with her?"

"Yeah. Does he mean it?"

"Of course he does, Craig! Malfoy is very strict when it comes to these things…He has plans,"

"What kind of plans?"

"I can only tell you that he means business. If things go on the way they are, the only time you'll see Elena is in the hospital wing, if she's lucky,"

I turned around and started to walk off to my dorm, a sick feeling growing in my stomach.

"Oh, and Craig? I'd end it with Elena as soon as possible. If I haven't gotten the point across already, Malfoy is serious. He will do some serious damage,"

"Right,"

And I drifted away into my dorm, hoping that I would have some time to think on it. It had been driving me crazy for the whole week, and one night more to think couldn't hurt.

**Elena**

"Elena!" Pansy shouted, running towards where I sat. _What does she want?_, I thought.

"What?"

"I have to tell you something. It's about Craig…"

"What about him?"

"He's been trying to break up with you _all week_"

"What? Where did you hear that from?" I questioned, beginning to get dizzy from the wave of reality. That explained why he had been acting strange. This whole time, it was just him trying to end it…

"He told me all about it,"

"He told _you?"_

"Yeah, he did. I would hate being in that situation…If I were you, I would break up with him first. At least you would have your dignity and-"

"Well, thanks for telling me, Pansy," I sighed.

"You're welcome!" She said, turning around and walking back towards the school. I had never believed Pansy in any other situation, but I knew she hated Craig more than she hated me. She would spill if he told her something. Besides, it all made sense…

I guessed she had a point. If he was having a problem with breaking up with me, I should at least make it easier to end it. _It was good while it lasted, _I thought.

**Craig**

I closed the door to my dormitory and dragged my feet into the common room. Pansy was just returning from the outside halls, smiling. She had probably had been taking away house points for first years walking the corridors at night, I guessed.

I made the long trip to the school grounds, successfully avoiding the prefects. I could see the lake glistening before me, as well as the faint outline of Elena under a tree. My legs felt weak as I walked towards where she sat. She noticed me and slowly got up, starting to come my way. I felt my throat tighten. I would have to just get it over with.

"Elena, there's something I need to talk to you about-" She held her finger to my lips, stopping me.

"No, I need to say something first," She began, taking a deep breath, "This is the end, Craig. I can't see you anymore. It's just- Never mind. You know exactly what's wrong with this whole thing," She solemnly spoke, slowly drifting her eyes away from mine. She turned around and went back to her spot under the tree.

_At least she's not hurt, _I thought. I thought it would be the hardest to break her heart, but it turns out, it didn't matter to her at all. The irony stung, but it was for the best. It would keep Elena safe and happy, and if that meant she wasn't with me, I would be fine with it. I knew it wouldn't work that way, however. I knew I wouldn't get over it.

**Elena**

I watched him walk back toward the building and felt a tear run down my cheek. I knew I'd get through it, I had always gotten through the tough times. But this time, it felt worse. Craig was special to me, he was my first boyfriend and the first guy I had ever felt for so much. It felt like a basilisk fang through my heart to be without him. I was a fool for thinking it would last forever.


End file.
